royal caribbean my time dining gratuities

Reservations are strongly recommended. Royal Caribbean has done the latter keeping the option for traditional dining service but also offering My Time Dining. Jon got hooked on cruising after his first cruise on his honeymoon, and today he is always looking for cruise deals and reading information about the cruise industry. The others could make a separate My Time Dining reservation for 8:15pm. So therefore it does not show on our invoice. Those grats are also handed out to WJ staff, cafe staff, etc. What is Royal Caribbean's service gratuities (tips) price and policy? After sneaking a peek at our dining table the 1st night out & seeing we were seated with 4 elderly women, we decided to consider switching to My Time. 0000433627 00000 n Online, you can only book My Time Dining for up to eight guests. 0000907210 00000 n The only real downside beyond having to pay your gratuities in advance is that you arent guaranteed the same waiter every night. You must have JavaScript enabled to use this form. Some guests do not plan on eating in the Main Dining Room each day or would rather do so at the time of their choosing. At many big lines, such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, its not uncommon for a family of four staying in a single cabin to see around $80 a day in service fees added to their bills. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. During peak dinner times, you may have to wait as long as 45 minutes for a table. If you want to change to My Time Dining, youll need to speak to Guest Services within the first two days of your cruise. It is recommended that you book a table though. By 0000003555 00000 n It is more difficult for the Main Dining Room to accommodate larger groups with My Time Dining, as there are fewer tables set for bigger parties. Royal Caribbean charges a gratuity of $16.00 per person, per day. It is usually at the very bottom below the dining packages, specialty restaurants, and other exclusive dining experiences. Sunshine State. Someone else that pays more will take up the slack for you. Heres my confusion: I understand prepaid gratuities is required for My Time Dining. My confusion is to do with the My Time Dining - If gratuities havent been prepaid, do we still have the My Time Dining thats on the invoice?! Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. 2010 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. |, www.royalcaribbean.ae is part of Royal Caribbean Arabia owned by Safeen Tourism LLC the Sole Middle East Representative of Royal Caribbean International, 2023 All Rights Reserved | ROYAL CARIBBEAN ARABIA. This also applies to sailings departing from Australia and New Zealand. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Regent Seven Seas Cruises. If, for example, two people would like to eat earlier around 6:30pm, you would make them their own reservation. Main Dining Room on Allure of the Seas Note, however, that this means you may not be able to have as flexible of a dining experience as you might be hoping for, especially if prime reservations have been secured in advance by other guests. If you would like a specific waiter or table, they are more likely to be able to accommodate your request with advance reservations (however, please note this is based on availability). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Dine as you want, when you want. The included tip amount varies by cruise line, but is typically 15% to 20% of the bill. The traditional dining experience allows you the choice of either early or late seating times for each day of your cruise. It is much simpler, and fairer, to leave them in place. Reservations arestronglyrecommended in order to avoid a delay in seating (reservations will be taken once onboard, based on availability). Can guests move between My Time Dining and Traditional Dining during their cruise? 0000017159 00000 n Details: Gratuities are included in the fare. trailer <]>> startxref 0 %%EOF 158 0 obj <>stream The big advantage to paying cruise tips in advance is that you lock in the current rate. Please check your email and click the link to confirm, and you're all set! Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. 0000831970 00000 n When making a reservation you will be offered "My Time" or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). 0000425403 00000 n We know booking a cruise can be a complicated process, so if you need any help or would even like us to fill out your information for you please get in touch. Still need help? You may request a certain waiter each night, and we will work to seat your party in his or her area depending on availability. 0000006679 00000 n M&-]f_Le}BXJ.D7CCx. 0000897240 00000 n Could you please tell me how I can improve it? 0000422815 00000 n On a typical seven-night cruise, thats nearly $600 in fees. We have my time dining and according to the threads it looks like the gratuities are asked to be prepaid. You can then book dinner in the Main Dining Room for any time you want, or just walk in without a reservation. If you want, you can even try to switch onboard. Learn more. Princess, for example, has added a Princess Plus plan as a booking option. It is possible to snag dining times around 7:00pm every night, but this is a highly desirable dinner time. 0000902161 00000 n Read on to learn all about cruise ship tipping culture and how much you'll need to tip on your next cruise, based on which cruise line you're sailing. Ships registered in the Bahamas. You can, however, always tell your waitstaff that you have other plans, and they will do their best to serve you as quickly as possible. You also will not be able to switch after the second day, so you'll want to visit Guest Services and/or the Main Dining Room when you embark-- Guests can only participate in one dining style per sailing. There is no need to remove the "pre=paid" or "included" tips. This allows you to decide when you want to eat, and who you want to sit with, instead of traditional dining where you have set times and sit with the same group each day. Even if I opt out of automatic gratuities? Royal Caribbean Dining. 0000738858 00000 n Smart cruise advice, cruise deals, and breaking news. Speciality restaurants require reservations but they dont have traditional dining times. Finally, the evening shows are often scheduled around Traditional Dining times with early and late showings. Im sorry you never received a tip in your years of "slogging your guts out." Whats Included in a Royal Caribbean Cruise? KA^tQmy9*yE'6C'VBz@JKz+I_0U{:$asg* \ endstream endobj 157 0 obj <>/Size 28/Type/XRef>>stream We always choose My Time dinning. How much to tip extra on a cruise is entirely up to you because it is in no way required. It's kind of a runaround to personally get to everyone who is included (my opinion). 0000916095 00000 n We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. 0000024527 00000 n 0000022522 00000 n 156.1k. It's also not possible to update every forum discussion when information changes so it can be confusing to read conflicting threads. $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. 0000906128 00000 n Rather, you will be seated wherever there is availability. That said, the total number of lines with a service fee has been shrinking over the years. Itll be one less thing on your final bill at the end of the cruise. A The automatic service gratuity is $16.00 USD per person, per day for guests in Junior Suites and below, or $18.50 USD per person, per day for guests in Grand Suites and above, applied to each guest's SeaPass account on a daily basis. You dont really get to know the people you are eating with that well. And that they aren't simply following the outdated information still present on Royal's website as pointed out above? These 9 Drinks Are Free on Royal Caribbean Cruises. I understand that once upon a time prepaid gratuities were required for MTD. Booking MTD on certain ships requires individual checkouts for each night while other ships you can make reservations for the whole cruise and check out once. Lines that now cover gratuities in their fares include Azamara, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours, Seabourn, SeaDream Yacht Club, Silversea Cruises and Virgin Voyages. My Time Dining is one of the options youll get to choose from when you book your cruise. Passengers in mini-suites pay $17, while those in bigger suites pay $18. The wait. Remember that all additional tipping is at your discretion. Note that this only applies to dinner in the Main Dining Room. Also (and I'm probably being the grammar police on this one) do you really mean "you HAVE to pay the gratuities up front at the time of booking" or do you mean they have to be added to your bill at time of booking? If you dont like tipping in advance to your service, and you would rather leave generous tips individually, there is nothing stopping you from going the extra mile to tip your waiter or waitress each night you use the My Time Dining option. Im pretty sure were havent prepaid the gratuities, but our invoice from RCL does say that our dining is My Time Dining and the Cruise planner will let us make reservations. You also do not get to know the wait staff as well, since you may be seated in a different area every night. 0000014304 00000 n Even if you initially booked Traditional Dining, you can call your travel agent or Royal Caribbean directly to change to My Time. 0000027181 00000 n Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Disney Cruise Lines Castaway Club loyalty program: Everything you need to know, 21 new Hyatt hotels where you can get 500 extra points per night, My first cruise to the Galapagos: The good, the bad and the absolutely adorable. I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board. If you want to walk in then you might have to wait for a suitable one to become available, while if youve booked it should be ready for you when you arrive. The actual times, however, will vary by sailing. 0000916414 00000 n 0000736952 00000 n They are per person. Unlike Traditional Dining, you will not be seated at the same table with the same wait staff if your choose My Time. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. A world of culinary exploration awaits you onboard Royal Caribbean. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. If the gratuities are pre-paid, it should be part of the cruise booking. Tipping on a cruise does not have to be complicated, but you need to understand the big picture to budget for your vacation appropriately. Clear editor. 0000828394 00000 n 0000022110 00000 n please click here to update it. You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. 0000819210 00000 n 0000006358 00000 n $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. Cruise lines say they pass the money collected from service charges to the shipboard crew. We do not prepay gratuities because we always have OBC and they will be deducted from the OBC daily. If you are purchasing a dining package or plan on eating dinner in one of the other complimentary venues, you may not find yourself putting too much thought into what dining style you'd prefer. I always find that funny when peeps complain about the added on grats listed as a separate charge..do they ever look at their cable bill, electric bill, phone bill.etcetc. That said, if you want to, you can often adjust the charges (either up or down) while youre on board by visiting the guest relations desk. 0000704363 00000 n When making a reservation you will be offered My Time or traditional dining times (i.e., 5:30 pm & 8:00 pm). Should they have been paid at the time of booking? Do you plan on dining anywhere except the dining room? You do have to prepay your gratuities in order to sign up to My Time Dining. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays. Many smaller and higher-end cruise operators are folding tips and gratuities into their base fares. #4. But its not strict. Some dont charge a service fee at all. Suggested read: 6 Things You MUST Know About Formal Night on a Royal Caribbean Cruise. However, if you dont sign up for My Time Dining within the first two days of your cruise, then youre stuck with traditional dining times. My partner and I prefer a later dinner and have selected My Time dining however we'd still like to join them for dinner at least 1-2 nights. Hi, I'm Jenni. You will not be able to make your choice until the last step in the booking process; all passenger names will have to be entered first! Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Depending on when you go, you may have to wait until there is an available table. 0000419103 00000 n But even so, it's more likely to keep up with cost of living, not to make up for those who don't tip. The lines that offer these deals say theyll pay a normal gratuity to the crew on your behalf. 0000747552 00000 n However, you can still make reservations, based on availability, once onboard. Powered by Cruiseline.com, spoke with royal Carib rep today who said prepaid grats are now out if you are using My Time Dining. You can eat anytime between 6:00 pm and 9:30 pm. You may tip extra if you feel you have been "WOW'd". ;). If not, you might be stuck eating even later than the second seating! 0000737875 00000 n For your convenience, prepaid gratuities are automatically added to your flexible option reservations. Even if you only plan to eat in the Main Dining Room a couple of times during your cruise, it often makes sense to choose My Time Dining so that you can pick the time you want. I will pay for fantastic service but can't stand getting it shoved in my face and HAVE TO pay gratuities. The closer you get to your cruise vacation, the fewer reservations you may find. That is not the case anymore but Royal is not great about updating their website information. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. Another method is to just simply show up at the Main Dining Room each night when you are ready to eat. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. 0000736746 00000 n Still, not all lines have service fees that high. Search Multiple Sites at Once 0000909755 00000 n Our new My Time Dining option allows you the flexibility to choose when you want to dine each evening, giving you the chance to enjoy your meals at your own pace. However, each ship does also offer specialty dining for an additional fee. As soon as you place the deposit for your cruise, you will gain access to the Cruise Planner. If you have a smaller party, you might find that you do not have to wait as long as larger parties. You dont have to attend dinner at the same time, and you can arrange a table that works for you. Your statement You cannot sign up for My Time Dining until you are on board the vessel is incorrect you can do this online when you book the Cruise. They were accurate as of the publishing of this story. When you eat with someone different every night it can be hard to get past the introductions every night and really get to know someone. You will be seated with whomever you arrive to the dining room with. Guests may request a special table or waiter. The dining staff will do all possible to accommodate the request, based on availability. 0000901784 00000 n Traditional seating will mean that guests will keep the same wait staff and dining companions throughout the cruise. The old way of MTD had forced you to prepay gratuities but that changed some time ago. You can choose a different time each day, so you can fit dinner around the rest of your onshore and onboard plans. Here's how it works on Royal Caribbean: As of September 7 th, 2022, the automatic service gratuity of $16.00 USD per . 0000902188 00000 n I think you probably have had you questions answered already but I wanted to show an example. Upload or insert images from URL. What happens if I cancel the gratuities? All rights reserved. That is not the case anymore but Royal is not great about updating their website information (I've heard they still talk about Dynamic Dining on Quantum class ships which only lasted one year). I am looking at cancelling my gratuities when I get on board so I can pay these personally. Like what you see? Royal Caribbean "My Time Dining" Review. ?xtp~?f~j)Br$7q,,"Sf%SXAii%1O=]rlsE"V3ueGWY^U?h2/?7>V1yP GoW}wA[5!>0yuoe Additionally, if you are traveling with a large party, you might find Traditional Dining to be easier. Most of the biggest cruise lines automatically add some type of service or gratuity fee onto passenger bills. If you opt out of daily gratuities your account will not be charged for them. 0000911056 00000 n 0000427335 00000 n Pasted as rich text. When booking a Royal Caribbean cruise, you have two options for dining: My Time Dining and Traditional Dining. You can change your dining time on your Royal Caribbean cruise using the Cruise Planner on Royal Caribbeans website. At the same time, you will be able to add prepaid gratuities and vacation protection, if you choose to do so. Royal Caribbean gratuities for children and infants Instant Real Time Pricing Your browser is outdated and does not support many of the modern features of this website, A lot of cruisers were actually upset when they heard about My Time Dining and vowed to never sail with Royal Caribbean again if this was the only option. If you have an issue with how the crew get paid don't withhold your tips since that will only penalize the crew. Australians typically do not tip because the minimum wage in Australia is $20.33 AUD/hr ($14.56 USD/hr). Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Every Royal Caribbean ship includes meals at many included restaurants, including the main dining room and the buffet. Youll be asked to pre-pay your gratuities. The only thing you should HAVE to pay at booking is the deposit. John2195, June 24, 2017 in Royal Caribbean International. My Time Dining is only applicable to the Main Dining Room on your ship. 0000891812 00000 n CC Help Jenn There is a $9.75 gratuity per day that is required and this actually covers not only the wait staff but your room steward as well. . But to the OP's question, we have MTD on Mariner next month and have not prepaid our gratuities. For example, Norwegian offers a complimentary Open Bar drinks package for travelers who book its "free at sea" promotion. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. I'm travelling with guests from another stateroom who selected Traditional Dining. That means two people sharing a room on a seven-night cruise would pay $308 in tips for an otherwise free drinks package on top of their daily service charge fees. Breakfast in the Main Dining Room is first come, first serve, regardless on whether or not you selected My Time or Traditional Dining. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Powered by Invision Community. 0000006046 00000 n 0000891340 00000 n Royal Caribbean does make it easy to enjoy flexible dining with My Time Dining, so just make sure you sign up to it if you want to decide when you eat each day. This website uses cookies in order to offer you the most relevant information. You may find that you are split up at different tables that are not located near each other. Royal Caribbeans award winning dining program, My Time Dining, offers flexible and traditional options. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. 0000901714 00000 n Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. The standard gratuities of $13.50 per person per day for JS and below, and $16.50 per person per day for GS and better. By Do I have to pre-reserve My Time Dining through Cruise Planner? There is no special dress code for My Time Dining it has the same dress code as traditional dining. Unlike traditional dining - where a dining time is assigned to you - guests who opt for My Time Dining can eat in the Main Dining Room whenever they like during dining hours, according to availability.

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